However, rather than lower their prices, Microsoft has now gone in the opposite direction, with the price of Xbox One exclusives Forza 5, Ryse: Son of Rome and Dead Rising 3 all being raised on the Xbox store.

Forza 5, Ryse and Dead Rising 3 were all previously priced at £44.99, but are now on sale for £49.99.

This is definitely a weird move. It seems that quite a few retailers are selling the games for less than the new digital prices, and these prices are now much more expensive than the US equivalents (£49.99, when converted, is just under $70). And really, why raise the price now? Why the wait?

So, what do you think? Is this for-za greater good, or is this just another Xbox blun-der?

Much more expensive than the US equivalents? I can't even remember when that was surprising >_> But seriously, it's really odd to suddenly raise the prices even more, yeah. I suspect this is just a fuckup and they'll change it back (either because they realize it or because of mass complaining).

My guess would be that since buying digital games can be (certainly not always) an indicator that the person purchasing is lazy. So lazy in fact that they would shell out a few extra dollars/pounds/euros/whateverz just for the convenience of not having to go out and buy the games.

If net gain on sales of the digital games rises even slightly from the levels they were before this price change, then it'd be a safe bet that you'd see these rise in prices in more than just Europe. If however Microsoft sees the digital purchases decline enough where they wouldn't be making as much money as they would have expected under the previous price point, then I'd expect the price reductions to not spread beyond Europe and likely to decrease again to where they were within Europe.

In other words, I think they're testing to see where they are at in terms of supply and demand, could they be making more money with a bump up in digital sales prices? Hopefully not.

Eh.. If only console makers would remove the limitations of region locking (be it the actual game discs (MS/Nintendo) or DLC (Sony)). If I was able to use all my games with all the content available regardless of region (honestly, why regions anymore in this time and age?), I'd actually be buying more content online.

As for the price raise, why? We've already had the short straw for ages, why make it worse? If nothing else, I hope the future Free Trade agreement between the EU and the US removes at least some of these kinds of limitations..

My guess would be that since buying digital games can be (certainly not always) an indicator that the person purchasing is lazy. So lazy in fact that they would shell out a few extra dollars/pounds/euros/whateverz just for the convenience of not having to go out and buy the games.

If net gain on sales of the digital games rises even slightly from the levels they were before this price change, then it'd be a safe bet that you'd see these rise in prices in more than just Europe. If however Microsoft sees the digital purchases decline enough where they wouldn't be making as much money as they would have expected under the previous price point, then I'd expect the price reductions to not spread beyond Europe and likely to decrease again to where they were within Europe.

In other words, I think they're testing to see where they are at in terms of supply and demand, could they be making more money with a bump up in digital sales prices? Hopefully not.

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Said lazy people could just order the games online for cheaper though.

Oh man, what a dick move -_- . Steam is such a godsend in some times, it's pretty damn cheap often and I can live with teh DRM aspect.
Buying a console just seems so expensive with games prices so high.

This is why I love sticking with my trusty PS3. With the new consoles out and prices sky high, everyone's trading in all their old games to raise funds to show off their new Xbones and PS4s like they matter. End result is while the mouthbreathers obsessing over looking 'cool' to their friends by having the latest flash gear are burning excessive sums of money and selling all their old and rare games for peanuts to do it, I'm sitting back and amassing a vast collection of games from the tidal wave hitting CEX every day. Every single day a new rare gem crops up and the prices get lower. So go ahead, Microsoft. Raise the prices all you like. The slack-jawed knuckle-dragging illiterates will still pay because they have to look cool, but they'll have to trade in more stuff which means more bargains for me.

Hum... Nothing new here, I'm just waiting for them to announce the price in Euros which will eventually be even higher than the UK ones like always. x'D

And seriously.. I'm tired of people always going on about steam doing things right and etc when digital games are involved. Besides steam sales and humble bundles, I don't bother with the prices on steam, I like buying games on release date and I pay more for them on steam than I do buying it on retail. No way in hell I'm shelling more than 50€ for a pc game when I can get them for nearly 30€.

At least here, pre-ordering online will get you the game before digital.

Digital won't be playable until official release date. Most games will turn up 1 or 2 days before official date if you pre-order as they send them out early to make sure you get it in time.

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Ah, but ordering them online doesn't necessarily mean they were pre-ordered.
But you're probably right about pre-orders, though (they tend to arrive before the official release date in pretty much every "major" regions.)

But buying digital means you have the game instantly.
And by instantly, I mean as fast as your internet connection allows.

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In other words: it's not instantly at all.

I know not everyone lives near a quality game store, but I'm certainly not the only one who can go out, buy a game and get back home before a +10GB game would have been completely downloaded. And while my connection isn't the superfastest of the fastest, it's not slow either.

Killzone Shadow Fall is Price: £63.99/€74.99 digitally!
I guess consumers think games should be cheaper digitally as there is no packaging or discs to manufacture, or shipping costs. I think publishers are charging more for digital because of convenience and bandwidth usage.
Imo the prices should match RRP at the very most, but should certainly not cost more.
Personally I only buy digital if it's the only option available to me and even then I hate paying it.